We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.Find out moreJump to
Content

Medical innovation as it stands today is fundamentally unsustainable. There is a widening gap between what biomedical research promises and its current impact in terms of patient benefit ...
More

Medical innovation as it stands today is fundamentally unsustainable. There is a widening gap between what biomedical research promises and its current impact in terms of patient benefit and health system improvement. This book highlights the global problem, analyses underlying causes, and provides powerful prescriptions for change to close the gap.It contrasts progress in biomedicine with other areas of science and technology, such as information technology, in which there are faster, more reliable returns for society from scientific advance. It questions whether society is right to expect so much from biomedicine and why we have become accustomed to such poor returns.It focuses on four specific ‘gaps in translation’ between bioscience breakthroughs and ultimate patient benefit, and explains how unhelpful mental models and differing perceptions of value, risk, and uncertainty contribute to stifling progress.Specific examples are examined, in which these bottlenecks have prevented promised progress (e.g. antibiotic-resistant infections), and others in which these barriers have been overcome, as a result of patient pressure (e.g. HIV treatment) or a sense of impending crisis (e.g. pandemic influenza).Less

Bridging the Gap details the role, lessons, and effectiveness of community health workers (CHWs) in bringing health care to underserved immigrant communities. Combining education, advocacy, and local cultural acumen, CHWs have proven successful in the United States and abroad, improving community health and establishing an evidence base for how CHW programs can work for immigrants. Based on a decade of in-depth evaluations from several immigrant health programs in New York City with complementary interviews with dozens of immigrants and CHWs, Bridging the Gap offers insights into how CHWs help immigrants overcome the obstacles to health care. The authors carefully distil first-hand lessons into recommendations for best practices in developing and utilizing effective CHW programs—insights that will be immediately useful to any community group, municipal agency, or health care organization.Less

Child Health: a Population Perspective provides students with a multifaceted overview of the importance of child health as a population health strategy. Child health considers the ...
More

Child Health: a Population Perspective provides students with a multifaceted overview of the importance of child health as a population health strategy. Child health considers the determinants, interventions, and policies that affect health outcomes for the youngest segment of our population. Child health also recognizes that investments in our nation’s young have implications for the future workforce as well as adult health outcomes. Child Health: a Population Perspective is a foundational text for training future leaders in maternal and child health.
The book provides perspectives in three key areas: current issues facing children in the United States, theoretical concepts behind understanding child health, and practical approaches to address child health in practice, including case studies. The authors also provide a historical perspective of how child health has developed in this country, as well as the impact of immigration and a global view of child health internationally.
The authors have created a core text for maternal and child health or pediatrics courses in schools of public health, medicine, and nursing. Undergraduate students, pediatric residents, maternal and child health fellows, and practitioners in the field can benefit from this comprehensive yet concise book.Less

Orchestrating and coordinating contributions from more than 75 selected public health specialists and environmental scientists, the editors have developed a concise and comprehensive ...
More

Orchestrating and coordinating contributions from more than 75 selected public health specialists and environmental scientists, the editors have developed a concise and comprehensive resource that represents a core curriculum on climate change and public health, including key strategies for adaptation and mitigation. Written primarily for students and mid-career professionals in public health and environmental sciences, the book clearly describes concepts and their application to the health impacts of climate change. Chapters are supplemented with case studies, graphs, tables and photographs. Less

Epidemiology is a population science that underpins health improvement and health care, and is concerned with the pattern, frequency, trends, and causes of disease. This book teaches its ...
More

Epidemiology is a population science that underpins health improvement and health care, and is concerned with the pattern, frequency, trends, and causes of disease. This book teaches its applications to population health research, policy-making, health service planning, health promotion, and clinical care. The book emphasizes concepts and principles. In 10 chapters, the book explains what epidemiology is; illustrates the basis of epidemiology in populations; provides a framework for analysing diseases by time, place, and person; introduces error, bias, and confounding; explains how we move from association to causation; considers the natural history, spectrum, and iceberg of disease in relation to medical screening; discusses the acquisition and analysis of data on incidence and prevalence of risk factors and diseases; shows the ways in which epidemiological data are presented, including relative and absolute risks; provides an integrated overview of study designs and the principles of data analysis; and considers the theoretical and ethical basis of epidemiology both in the past and the future. The emphasis is on interactive learning, with each chapter including learning objectives, theoretical and numerical exercises, questions and answers, and a summary. The text is illustrated, with detailed material in tables. The book is written in plain English, and the necessary technical and specialized terminology is explained and defined in a glossary. The book is for postgraduate courses in epidemiology, public health, and health policy. It is also suitable for clinicians, undergraduate students in medicine, nursing and other health disciplines, and researchers.Less

Current Topics in Occupational Epidemiology is an in-depth study of contemporary issues and emerging themes in the field. Divided into seven parts it discusses 'new' occupational diseases ...
More

Current Topics in Occupational Epidemiology is an in-depth study of contemporary issues and emerging themes in the field. Divided into seven parts it discusses 'new' occupational diseases such as pneumonia in welders, as well as 'older' diseases including morbidity and mortality among miners. Societal trends have encouraged the application of occupational epidemiological methods to new issues such as the ageing workforce, return to work after illness, and the migration of workers. This resource tackles these issues, as well the extension of epidemiology to surveillance systems, systematic reviews, and economic analyses.Less

Preventive medical interventions—and even non-medicalized public health programmes that implicitly promise health benefits in the future, from actions taken now—all carry a strong ethical ...
More

Preventive medical interventions—and even non-medicalized public health programmes that implicitly promise health benefits in the future, from actions taken now—all carry a strong ethical requirement: primum non nocere (‘first, do no harm.’) This is especially true nowadays, when new preventive advice and interventions are being promoted on a daily basis, sometimes by scientifically ill-informed special interest groups. This slim volume provides a set of ‘critical appraisal’ tools to help those considering a preventive action to be sure that it is effective (does more good than harm), efficient (is a competitive use of scarce resources), and equitable in its impact across society. Throughout the book worked examples are provided and ‘case-studies’, illustrating the risks and benefits (and in some cases the costs per unit of health benefit) of specific preventive interventions, both laudable, and not so laudable. The nine chapters focus on the following aspects of prevention: the hierarchy of preventive options; the assessment of causation; finding and appraising scientific evidence; prevention directed at entire populations (as opposed to individuals); the scientific perils underlying ‘healthy nutrition’ advice; measuring chronic disease risk factors and medically managing them, e.g. statin treatment of high cholesterol; PSA screening for prostate cancer: more harm than good?; genetic screening for future disease risk; and assessing the health equity implications of prevention. This book is aimed at front-line primary care and public health professionals, to help them better inform, and serve, their patients and communities.Less

This second edition of Epidemiologic Methods offers a rigorous introduction to the concepts and tools of epidemiologic research. Aimed chiefly at future epidemiologists, it offers clear ...
More

This second edition of Epidemiologic Methods offers a rigorous introduction to the concepts and tools of epidemiologic research. Aimed chiefly at future epidemiologists, it offers clear descriptions, practical examples, and question/answer sections for each of the science's key concepts. Authored by two award-winning epidemiology instructors, this online resource is organized around three main themes: general concepts and tools of epidemiology; major study designs; and special topics, including screening, outbreak investigations, and use of epidemiology to evaluate policies and programs. Less

Epidemiology Matters offers a new approach to understanding and identifying the causes of disease — and with it, how to prevent disease and improve human health. Utilizing visual ...
More

Epidemiology Matters offers a new approach to understanding and identifying the causes of disease — and with it, how to prevent disease and improve human health. Utilizing visual explanations and examples, this title provides an accessible, step-by-step introduction to the fundamentals of epidemiologic study, from design to analysis. Across fourteen chapters, Epidemiology Matters teaches the individual competencies that underlie the conduct of an epidemiologic study: identifying populations; measuring exposures and health indicators; taking a sample; estimating associations between exposures and health indicators; assessing evidence for causes working together; and assessing internal and external validity of results.Less

Essentials of Environmental Epidemiology for Health Protection guides front-line public health practitioners through the decisions they are likely to face when dealing with environmental ...
More

Essentials of Environmental Epidemiology for Health Protection guides front-line public health practitioners through the decisions they are likely to face when dealing with environmental health problems, and shows how to integrate relevant aspects of environmental science, communication sciences, toxicology, and environmental epidemiology skills to conduct initial investigations.Less

Essentials of Toxicology for Health Protection is ideal as both a course resource for students and a reference for field professionals involved in responding to chemical incidents and local ...
More

Essentials of Toxicology for Health Protection is ideal as both a course resource for students and a reference for field professionals involved in responding to chemical incidents and local environmental concerns. Produced by Health Protection England, it offers a comprehensive and structured approach to dealing with toxicological problems worldwide. It covers both the basics of toxicology and its application to issues of topical concern such as contaminated land, food additives, and water and air pollution. Each chapter is composed by an expert in the field, making this an essential resource for all professionals in environmental public health, including: health protection consultants, specialists and trainees; public health practitioners; environmental health practitioners; environmental scientists; and staff of the emergency services, the water and waste industries, and other industrial and regulatory bodies.Less

Evaluation of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Programs offers conceptual and methodological frameworks for the six phases of health program evaluation: introduction to evaluation; ...
More

Evaluation of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Programs offers conceptual and methodological frameworks for the six phases of health program evaluation: introduction to evaluation; models of evaluation planning; efficacy and effectiveness evaluation; measurement and analysis evaluation; process and qualitative evaluation; cost analysis and basic economic evaluation. By presenting these concepts through case studies, this text offers an innovative and didactic model for measuring health impact and health outcomes, then extending these measurements to establish an evidence base for future practice. This central competency in health promotion will be of use to graduate and post-graduate students in public and population health programs, plus health program practitioners working at the intervention forefront.Less

This completely updated edition offers a practical introduction to exposure assessment methodologies in environmental epidemiologic studies. In addition to methods for traditional methods ...
More

This completely updated edition offers a practical introduction to exposure assessment methodologies in environmental epidemiologic studies. In addition to methods for traditional methods -- questionnaires, biomonitoring -- this new edition is expanded to include geographic information systems, modeling, personal sensoring, remote sensing, and OMICs technologies. In addition, each of these methods is contextualized within a recent epidemiology study, maximizing illustration for students and those new to these to these techniques. With clear writing and extensive illustration, this book will be useful to anyone interested in exposure assessment, regardless of background.Less

Before new interventions are released into disease control programmes, it is essential that they are carefully evaluated in `field trials'. These may be complex and expensive undertakings, ...
More

Before new interventions are released into disease control programmes, it is essential that they are carefully evaluated in `field trials'. These may be complex and expensive undertakings, requiring the follow-up of hundreds, or thousands, of individuals, often for long periods. Descriptions of the detailed procedures and methods used in the trials that have been conducted have rarely been published. A consequence of this, individuals planning such trials have few guidelines available and little access to knowledge accumulated previously, other than their own. In this open-access online guide, practical issues in trial design and conduct are discussed fully and in sufficient detail. It has been compiled by an international group of over 30 authors with direct experience in the design, conduct, and analysis of field trials in low and middle income countries and is based on their accumulated knowledge and experience.Less

The emergence of the discipline of global mental health as one of the most dynamic fields of global health underscores the need for this resource, which covers two major aspects of the ...
More

The emergence of the discipline of global mental health as one of the most dynamic fields of global health underscores the need for this resource, which covers two major aspects of the field: its scientific foundations and its practice. It opens with an original account charting the history of the field from antiquity to its most recent developments. The language and content is geared towards a wide audience of practitioners and students of global mental health, including those who do not have any previous training in a clinical mental health specialty. Edited by four of the field's most widely acknowledged champions, this resource features 20 chapters authored by over 30 global leaders of the field from diverse institutions and countries, is aimed to be the definitive text of this dynamic new discipline.Less

The relationship between hospitals and the environment is defined by a glaring contradiction: as health care facilities deliver care at any cost, their environmental footprint — pollution, ...
More

The relationship between hospitals and the environment is defined by a glaring contradiction: as health care facilities deliver care at any cost, their environmental footprint — pollution, waste production, unsustainable food services — contributes to harming community health. This online resource examines the intersections of health care and environmental health, both in terms of traditional failures and the revolution underway to fix them. Authored by one of the pioneers of the green movement in health care, it presents practical solutions for health care organizations and clinicians to improve their environments and the health of their communities. Topics include making food services sustainable, managing hospital waste, and relevant impacts/mitigating measures related to climate change. Less

This online resource is a thorough examination of the field, advancing clear proposals for its development and future, as well as the theoretical background, historical context, or the ...
More

This online resource is a thorough examination of the field, advancing clear proposals for its development and future, as well as the theoretical background, historical context, or the challenges that health promotion faces today. With the core belief that health promotion has a vital contribution to make to the health of populations, it is packed with the knowledge and tools necessary to help people contribute in real and practical ways to health promotion. Its timely examination of the strategies and legislation of successive governments in the UK informs the ongoing debate on heath policy. The importance of health education is explored, including a look at the new possibilities that technological developments will bring. It provides a wealth of examples and cases studies to illustrate the ethical principles underlying health promotion, and to the examination of the concepts of environmental and lifestyle determinants of health.Less

This book is an accessible and practical core text on the three domains of health protection: Communicable Disease Control, Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response (EPRR), and ...
More

This book is an accessible and practical core text on the three domains of health protection: Communicable Disease Control, Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response (EPRR), and protection of the public from environmental hazards (Environmental Public Health). The editors have attempted to develop an “all hazards approach” to dealing with health protection situations. Most health protection books confine themselves to one of the three domains, whereas this book presents a practical and all hazards approach, with some account of the overarching principles of health protection on which day-to-day practice rests. The target audience is health protection practitioners, students, doctors, nurses and other non-medical professionals who may encounter health protection issues in their daily practice. From a clear introduction to the essential principles of health protection work, the book guides readers through how to manage real health protection incidents using a combination of case studies and quick reference action checklists. Each case study provides a common health protection scenario which develops in stages, in the same way as a real-life case or incident. As the story unfolds, the reader will learn about the nature and significance of the specific threat to population health, the practical steps and issues involved in an effective public health response and the health protection principles underpinning that response. Other chapters outline the general principles of health protection, providing a deeper understanding of key tools and mechanisms, as well as insights into new and emerging health protection issues. A series of individual checklists dealing with a broad range of commonly-faced diseases, hazards and incidents complete the book. These give concise and practically-focused information that can be used even by non-specialists in time-pressured situations. In particular, the variety of chapters covered throughout the book, on Communicable Diseases, Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response, and Environmental Public Health, offer a unique perspective borne out of practical experience, not easily accessible elsewhere.Less

Immigration, Cultural Identity, and Mental Health is a unique book because it explains culture and identity from a developmental perspective, exploring the psychological, social, and ...
More

Immigration, Cultural Identity, and Mental Health is a unique book because it explains culture and identity from a developmental perspective, exploring the psychological, social, and biological aspects of the immigrant and refugee experience in the United States and how they help to shape the person’s cultural identity. It also covers the sociological, anthropological, political, and economic aspects of the immigrant experience and how these variables impact mental health, thus presenting the experience of migration and acculturation from a very broad and humanistic perspective, illustrated with multiple real-life case examples. The book explains how a broader access to travel and new communication technologies are responsible for the rapid global dissemination of cultural norms, values, and beliefs across national borders, facilitating a process of inter-culturation, in which both the new arrivals and members of the host culture are influenced and transformed by their interactions with one another and how American children, adolescents and young adults are at the forefront of such new multicultural identity formation. It describes the emergence of transnational identities, the meaning of pilgrimages, the experiences of return migrations and the importance of the American narrative, which is at its core, an immigrant narrative. This is a book about the American identity and how immigrants have been absorbed into American society and how they continue to enlarge and transform America and the cultural identities of its inhabitants.Less

This book is based on the content covered during the non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention short course at the University of Oxford. It provides theoretical background and ‘real life ...
More

This book is based on the content covered during the non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention short course at the University of Oxford. It provides theoretical background and ‘real life case studies’ helping readers to apply the learnings to their day-to-day work. It covers case studies from both high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. This book is structured around the four stages of the policy cycle: (1) problem definition; (2) solution generation; (3) resource mobilization and implementation; and (4) evaluation. Chapters 2–7 focus on problem definition, which involves understanding the burden of NCDs, its risk factors, the sociopolitical landscape, the role of advocacy, and screening and surveillance. Chapters 8–10 are about solution generation, which involves examining the evidence for potential costs and benefits of interventions, while also considering contextual factors, including the ethical and political dimensions of different solutions. Chapters 11–13 are on implementation and the mobilization of resources, both the money needed for material aspects of the interventions and the people required to plan for and carry out the interventions. Chapter 14 is about evaluation and monitoring, which may be designed to assess whether interventions met their aims and objectives. Given the cyclical nature of the policy cycle, the final chapter is about returning to the various stages. NCD prevention does not always follow the stages of the policy cycle in a strict sequence and often, NCD interventions will need revisiting in light of the experiences and lessons learned from earlier stages.Less